East Baton Rouge Parish (EBR) is the capital of Louisiana and home to Louisiana State University and Southern University. The City of Baton Rouge, one of the fastest-growing cities in the South, lies along the eastern banks of the Mississippi River. It's the site of the governor's mansion, the state capitol building, the Louisiana Arts & Science Museum, and the River Center, a venue for large events such as concerts, theater performances, tradeshows, and conferences. Also downtown is Shaw Center for the Arts, featuring art exhibits, performances, and rooftop dining with spectacular views.

In addition to the downtown area, the City of Baton Rouge includes many established neighborhoods, such as Mid-City, with its eclectic mix of local shops and restaurants; the Garden District, with its beautiful older homes; and Spanish Town, known for its flamboyant Mardi Gras parades. Outside the city limits, the parish is booming with both residential and commercial development. Subdivisions, planned communities, upscale shopping areas, restaurants, and new movie theaters are springing up throughout the parish.

EBR also includes the newly incorporated City of Central and the City of Zachary. Zachary public schools rank first in the state in school district performance scores. The City of Baker, located just north of Baton Rouge, boasts plenty of green space, with more than one-thousand acres of parks, over ten miles of hiking and nature trails, and the ever-popular Baton Rouge Zoo.